Bio
As an Associate in PilieroMazza’s Government Contracts Group, Daniel’s practice centers on providing legal support to businesses operating in the federal procurement space. He works with clients on all matters relating to government contracts law, including handling the bid protest process at various fora (including the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition), assisting with requests for equitable adjustment (REAs), claims, and appeals to the relevant Boards of Contract Appeals (U.S. Civilian Board of Contract Appeals and U.S. Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals), drafting and negotiating teaming agreements, subcontracts, and non-disclosure agreements, and navigating the Small Business Administration’s Federal contracting and loan assistance programs.
Daniel also helps on other miscellaneous government contracts matters, including disputes pertaining to Contractor Performance Assessment Reports (CPARs), data rights issues, and cybersecurity compliance. Furthermore, he defends parties proposed for suspension and debarment, assists with mergers and acquisitions, prepares contract novation requests, and handles appeals from SBA final loan review decisions (related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)) as well as size and status determinations before the SBA’s Office of Hearings and Appeals.
Related Practice Areas
Representative Matters
Government Accountability Office:
- Successfully defended contract award totaling roughly $20 million finding evaluation was performed consistent with the solicitation and Federal procurement law. Matter of Inalab Consulting, Inc., B-422438; B-422438.2; B-422438.3 (June 18, 2024).
- Successfully defended contract award totaling roughly $35 million finding evaluation was performed consistent with the solicitation and Federal procurement law. Matter of Yukon Fire Prot. Servs., Inc., B-422351 (Apr. 25, 2024).
- Successfully protested on behalf of 15 different clients arguing the agency’s evaluation was unreasonable, not done in accordance with the terms of the solicitation, and not properly documented. Matter of Sys. Plus, Inc., et al., B-419956.268; B-419956.310, .345; B-419956.311, .346; B-419956.313, .347 (June 29, 2023).
- Successfully led other pre-award and post-award bid protests that have resulted in corrective action consistent with relief requested.
Court of Federal Claims – Bid Protests:
- Successfully led post-award bid protests that have resulted in corrective action consistent with relief requested.
U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) – Federal Contracts:
- Successful appeal arguing contracting officer’s assignment of NAICS code 541611 – Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services ($24.5M) was based in clear error and that NAICS code 561110 – Office Administrative Services ($12.5M) was the appropriate code. NAICS Appeal of Katmai N. Am., LLC, SBA No. NAICS-6269 (Feb. 23, 2024).
- Successfully defended against size appeal arguing that the initial size protest was correctly dismissed as non-specific and size recertification was not required. Size Appeal of Glob. Pac. Design Builders, LLC, SBA No. SIZ-6260 (Dec. 21, 2023).
- Successfully intervened arguing service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) joint venture agreement did not comply with SBA’s regulations. VSBC Protest of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Silotech-Apex JV, LLC), SBA No. VSBC-297 (August 8, 2023).
- Successfully defended against size appeal arguing size recertification was not required by the terms of the solicitation. Size Appeal of Valiant Sols., LLC, SBA No. SIZ-6224 (June 22, 2023).
- Successfully defended against size appeal arguing size recertification was not required and initial protest was properly dismissed as untimely. Size Appeal of Computer World Servs. Corp., SBA No. SIZ-6208 (April 25, 2023).
U.S. Small Business Administration – Loan Programs:
- Obtain full forgiveness of $6.5 million First-Draw Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan after engaging with the SBA and demonstrating entitlement to full amount.
- On appeal to the SBA’s OHA, successfully argued 30+ companies with common ownership were not affiliated per the SBA’s identity of interest rules, resulting in OHA vacating and remanding the SBA’s final loan review decision regarding First-Draw PPP Loans. SBA subsequently issued final loan review decisions with full forgiveness of loans totaling over $400,000.00.
- Challenged full denial of First-Draw PPP loan forgiveness by providing accurate documentation and calculations, resulting in partial forgiveness of over $300,000.00.
- On appeal to the SBA’s OHA, successfully argued 50% owner of borrower did not have the ability to control, resulting in OHA vacating and remanding SBA’s final loan review decision of PPP Loan totaling more than $4 million.
Federal Aviation Administration Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition:
- Successfully protested contract award decision, valued at roughly $50 million, arguing that (1) an unequal access to information organizational conflict of interest existed, (2) the Agency failed to properly evaluate technical proposals, and (3) the Agency’s best value trade-off decision lacked a rational basis. Protest of Adsync Technologies, Inc., ODRA Docket No. 23-ODRA-00951 (June 21, 2024).
Suspension and Debarment Proceedings – Various Agencies:
- Successfully defended owner of construction company from proposed notice of debarment resulting in execution of administrative agreement.
- Successfully defended construction company during proceedings to exclude the company from Federal contracts resulting in execution of administrative agreement.
Credentials
Education
- The George Washington University Law School, J.D., 2022, with a concentration in Government Procurement
- The George Washington University, B.A., 2019, cum laude, Political Science
Admissions
- District of Columbia
Activities/Honors
Activities
- Senior Articles Editor, Public Contract Law Journal, 2021-2022
Honors
- Super Lawyers® Rising Star, Washington DC, Government Contracts, 2024
- Winner, 2022 Arnold & Porter Government Contracts Moot Court Competition
Publications
- Note, Billions, and Billions, and Billions: Recent Administrations, Cronyism, and the Need for Greater Independence in Contract Awards, 51 Pub. Cont. L.J. 599 (2022)